Loving the Maxi Dress

So right now I'm currently obsessed with maxi dresses, thanks in large part to the warmer weather. Don't know what a maxi dress is? Well, it is the name given to a dress that is very long (touching the floor for some people while others it hits the ankles but usually nothing shorter than that) and most brands have at least one in their summer collection.

I found two at Ross that are actually long enough to fit my 5"9 frame. But for the most part it's very hard to find dresses that are at least ankle length on me. So I decided to make one myself, that way I can get it the perfect length.

So I found the above pattern for $3 at Joann's and the fabric I believe was $7.99 a yard. I am so excited to get started and see how this dress turns out! I'll keep you all posted with the results. :)

Hello New Friend!

Hello new friend!

It's been quite a while and I've gone through a bit of drama, but I finally have a sewing machine in my hands. And the best part is that it is not only new but it also has 25 different stitches! This is a Brother XL-2600i free arm sewing machine and I bought it online at Walmart for under $100 (including tax and shipping - although I bought it during a free shipping promotion).

I was originally going to borrow my sister-in-law's machine, but it broke and she is in the process of moving so that was a no go. Then my other sister-in-law told me that I could have one of her machines, she has more than one and they are not being used at the moment. Well, her busy schedule prevented that from happening. That's when I turned to thrift shops and Craigslist. I called a bunch of thrift shops but none had any on their shelves. Then I actually found a used machine for $30 on Craigslist but after a week of back and forth emails the seller pulled the plug at the last minute. UGH! So I decided to say "Screw you" to all my frustrations and bought myself a belated Mother's Day present. Yay!

This afternoon my present arrived on my doorstep but I wasn't able to pull it out of its box until after Alex went to bed. I'm like a kid in a candy store. I have so many projects that I've been eyeing but definitely first up on the list is a fitted play yard sheet. The ones on Alex's play yard don't fit very well and I'm too cheap to spend more than $5 on a new fitted one. After that, it's on to Betty's quilt. I can't wait to show you all my latest creations! :)

Mourning a friend

I am in mourning for a dear friend of mine, my Singer 1507WC sewing machine. It was traveling across the country with my husband when he got into a car accident. Tragically, it did not make it through. I am very saddened by this, I loved my sewing machine, but I am hoping to get a new (maybe a snazzier?) one soon. In the mean time, my sister-in-law has offered me hers on loan. So once I am able to get some fabric I am going to start on the base of my mother-in-law's quilt. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will turn out with the donated fabrics, quotes and photos.

Betty's Quilt

My mother in law recently found out she has colon cancer. I want to create a quilt for her to snuggle up with as she recovers. The plan is to do a ticker tape quilt as seen here. I figure this is the best way to put together any fabrics that are donated as well as the photos that will be printed on special fabric. This quilt is a surprise...I can't stress that enough....it's a surprise so please do not say anything about it to her or in front of her.

For more information on how to donate fabric please click here

Car Seat Canopy

About a week before my son and I were going to fly to be with family, I started seeing these nifty little canopies for car seats. Usually I just drape a blanket over the car seat but these are way cooler...and a good excuse to break out my sewing machine again.


And a shot of the fabrics I used:


If you want to make your own, here's a few things I discovered through trial and error:

• I used a fat quarter in a coordinating green for the straps that attach the canopy to the car seat. I didn't attach them to both sides to make the canopy reversible (like in a few tutorials), but even if I did I had more than enough fabric left to spare.
• Something I learned the hard way: if your fabric has a print that is horizontal (like both of mine) then you actually need 1.25 yards of fabric. The reason for this being is that you need the rectangle to be vertical in order to completely cover the car seat AND so it doesn't drag on the floor. I didn't figure this out until after I had sewn the two sides together, so I had to adjust the position of the straps so it would provide good coverage and drag a little less.
• If your fabric has a print that is vertical, or if it can go either way (ie dots, stripes, solids, florals, etc) then you only need 1 yard of fabric for each side.

The best part is that you can use whatever fabric you want. I did the top side in a cotton and the bottom in a flannel. But I might do another canopy with 2 sides of fleece for the chillier days, or one with 2 sides of cotton for the summer time.

The tutorial I used (there are a few out there) found here: Small Fry & Co

Alexander's Quilt

My son turned one in February and I wanted to give him something special for his very first birthday. I decided to make him a quilt when I found this adorable sailor puppy fabric and a matching anchor fabric at Joann's Fabrics. My husband was in the Navy and I was able to talk him into letting me use a few of his patches and cut up one of his old uniform shirts. This particular shirt was very sentimental to him, as it's been with him since boot camp and to him it represents his time in the military. The other fabrics I used were either fat quarters I found that fit the theme and some adorable sailboats I found on eBay along with a NWU top I bought at a thrift store. All in all, it turned out great for my first quilt but the best part is that my son loves to snuggle in it. Can't ask for anything more.

The fabric I used on the back is called "Rain Spots" and I believe it's from Alexander Henry. I got really lucky the day I found it, it has all the colors of the quilt in it and I haven't seen it in store since.

Update // You can see the quilt label I added here

Jen's Nursing Cover

A good friend of mine is having a baby this summer. When I found out she intended to breastfeed I offered to make her a nursing cover. My sister-in-law made one for me and it's been such a lifesaver. It actually has two layers, the swirly purple hearts is a cotton and there's a lilac flannel underneath. The cotton was a bit too thin for my comfort so that's why I added the flannel layer. This was actually my first time basting layers, I free-handed the swirls and I think they turned out ok for my first time.


The tutorial I used (there are a few out there) found here: Little Birdie Secrets